Wednesday, June 02, 2010

The Role of Simplification and Information in College Decisions

Visit the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) site this week to read our latest quick review. These reviews give timely guidance about whether education research in the news meets the WWC evidence standards.

See how the WWC assessed the following study:

·The Role of Simplification and Information in College Decisions: Results from the H&R Block FAFSA Experiment—This study examined whether assistance in filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) increases college enrollment and financial aid receipt. The study authors conducted a randomized controlled trial, analyzing data on about 15,000 individuals in 156 H&R Block tax preparation offices in Ohio and North Carolina. In one condition, individuals received help completing the FAFSA and were given estimates of the amount of aid they would receive. In the second condition, individuals received an estimate of the amount of aid they would receive, but direct assistance completing the FAFSA was not given. The control group received a brochure containing basic financial aid information.http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/publications/quickreviews/QRReport.aspx?QRID=142

As the WWC continues its work to connect educators with the tools needed to make informed decisions, visit our website often at http://www.whatworks.ed.gov/ and check your inbox for updates and new releases throughout the year.

What Works Clearinghouse

A central and trusted source of scientific evidence of what works in education.

The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) was established in 2002 by the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences (IES) to provide educators, policymakers, researchers, and the public with a central and trusted source of scientific evidence of what works in education.

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